Cinderella gets a new ball gown

Originally Posted: May 6, 9:11 am | (permalink) | (0 comments)

Port side, "before"

When we first got this boat, s/v Cinderella, the main salon was upholstered in rich emerald green velour, courtesy of the previous owner (thanx Lucy!). But that was ten. years. ago. And although we managed to hide most of the signs of aging with cleverly-placed pillows and the like, we knew we had a job ahead of us.

We've always claimed that the only boat-projects we had time/budget to do were those that either made the boat safer or sail faster. But finally most of those had been accomplished, and frankly, the condition of the fabric on the settees was getting desperate.

a hidden corner, exposed

We agonized over colors for hours: Beige? Nah, too boring. White? Too high-maintenance. Greenish-blue? Or bluish-green? Stripe, solid, or texture? We got fabric samples and held them up in the sun, after dark, on a cloudy day.

Once this – sure to be the toughest part of the project – was done, we headed over to Sailrite in Eastport, where proprietor Dan Smith dispenses fantastic sewing advice in equal proportions with bad puns, and got started. Although we’d be doing all the sewing aboard, life on a small boat has some unique challenges for a project this size. Most of the laying out, measuring, and cutting happened on the living-room floor of our friends Steve and Jane – the roll of fabric was nearly as long as our boat bow to stern so we could hardly spread it out in the main cabin!

Here’s the very first piece of the new project. How can you not love a fabric called “Seaglass?” Because storage space is at such a premium, this bolster, the first of three, is actually a sham. It is stuffed, not with foam, but with off-season clothing, guest bedding, and the like. Stay tuned – I’ll post after pix when the project’s complete.

(N.B.: I’m sad to report that the Sailrite store here will be closing later this summer. So just in case our interior-design project inspires you to try your own - hey, if we can do it, anyone can - be advised: Although all the Sailrite products will be available online, if you need in-person advice from Dan Smith – or just want to hear some of his corny jokes – plan your projects sooner rather than later.)